


like drinking tea; or maybe not

by trididida



Category: Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger
Genre: Cliche, Cliches Galore, Domestic Fluff, F/M, death by cliche, still kinda one-sided though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-04
Updated: 2017-01-04
Packaged: 2018-09-14 18:12:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9197543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trididida/pseuds/trididida
Summary: It doesn't surprise her very much at all, she muses as she moves to pour her second cup (she has stopped playing as well, in favor of watching her friends having fun while she enjoys her brew); the thought of loving Marvelous seemed so natural, like drinking tea andmuchlike breathing.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Working on some Joe/Luka vignettes but ended up with this one. Woe is me.

It occurs to her one day—she looks at him and she just _knows_. Ahim daintily sips the rest of her tea, and she peeks at him from where she is sitting at the dinner table with the others. He is seated on his plush chair, eyes closed and snoring steadily, having preferred sleep to another round of poker ( _ **pfft, he's just a sore loser, that's what—**_ ) while waiting for Joe to come out of the kitchen with cake.

 

It doesn't surprise her very much at all, she muses as she moves to pour her second cup (she has stopped playing as well, in favor of watching her friends having fun while she enjoys her brew); the thought of loving Marvelous seemed so natural, like drinking tea and  _much_  like breathing. What baffles her is how she hasn't noticed until now and  _oh_ — 

 

She's in love with Marvelous.

 

Her.  _In love_. 

 

With  _Marvelous_.

 

Warmth fills her, and it's not because of tea, and for a second she is lightheaded so she slowly sets the teapot back on the table. Ahim glances at him again; and something is bubbling in her chest and it makes the princess-turned-pirate want to giggle and cry at the same time.

 

And she  _does_ , much to her dismay.

 

The others are instantly on alert, cards forgotten, and she wipes her tears and purses her lips and shakes her head and smiles at them ( _ **I'm okay, really**_ , she  _tries_  to convince them, because she  _really is_ ); and another tear falls, and she laughs again.  Doc and Gai are at a loss and she doesn't blame them; but Luka's look is particularly probing and Ahim thinks she might have to tell her later because she is glancing from her to their leader's direction (and well, she really couldn't keep anything from her). 

 

Thankfully, Marvelous is undisturbed; but not a minute later Joe enters the room bearing cake, and it awakens him like a dragon sensing treasure. So she excuses herself ( _ **I'll make some more tea**_ ) and goes to the galley; and when she is finally alone Ahim _breathes_.

 

She thinks for a few moments, then she pats her cheeks dry and heads to the cupboards. Carefully, she collects some Arabian Mint and a few other leaves to make her own special blend, one which she always reserved for special occasions. A few minutes later the tea is brewed and her bearings are gathered, and she puts the teapot on a tray, together with a clean batch of cups and saucers, and heads back to the main room.

 

The cake is almost gone now, her share left on a small plate at where she was sitting earlier. All were at the dinner table except for Marvelous (who is back on his chair seemingly finished with his own slice), and Ahim gracefully sets down the tray and proceeds to pour tea for each one. Her crew mates go about thanking her, and they appear to be acting as if nothing happened earlier, starting another round of cards. But she knows better; there is still a spark of curiosity that hangs in the air, and even Joe seems privy to it. Ahim supposes someone just told them to leave her be (Luka, most likely, and she thanks her silently).

 

Tea is poured on two remaining cups, and Ahim deftly places one on the tray and walks towards their leader. She feels her heart thrum with every step, but her hands are steady when she offers Marvelous his tea.

 

He thanks her and he takes his cup languidly. She steps back and moves to the side, waiting for him to take a sip, and when he does he sighs contentedly, crossing his legs and leaning back on his chair. Ahim feels herself easing up as well; warmth pervades her again and she marvels at the familiarity of it all—standing by his side like this and now—now that she _knows_ , she wonders (the world's greatest treasures and her people aside) if she could be any happier. 

 

 _Of course_ , a voice says at the back of her mind, and she holds her breath in anticipation. _If he also loves_ —

 

Her head reels. Could he _possibly_ —

 

"Ahim."

 

Marvelous is up from his chair, and he is looking down at her, eyebrows raised. She blinks as he hands her back the teacup and saucer, and Ahim realizes then that she is just standing there,  _staring_  and _smiling—_ practically _daydreaming— at_  and  _about_  him. Heat floods her cheeks (and she sincerely hopes that the others are already too busy with their game to realize her predicament), and she fights the urge to pat them again.

 

"Um—"

 

"You look happy," he says, and he lounges on his chair again. Ahim stares at him some more—and then she relaxes.

 

"I am," she answers honestly.

 

Marvelous looks at her at the corner of his eye—and then he smirks, like he approves of her little secret. She doesn't hold back a smile.

 

"Good."

**Author's Note:**

> For you, CB, after inspiring me with the last line. お幸せに。


End file.
